Pin Piles

SM
: Foundations for SCR Retrofits

Martin G. Taube, P.E., P.G.
Nicholson Construction Company, 12 McClane Street, Cuddy, Pennsylvania 15031
Email: mtaube@nicholson-rodio.com; Phone:(412)221-4500 ext.205; Fax:(412)221-3127

Summary

Nicholson Construction Company has established itself as the U.S. authority for the design and
construction of Pin Piles, high capacity drilled and grouted steel pipe piles also referred to as micropiles
or minipiles. As the leading installer of Pin Piles
SM
in the U.S., we have completed over $181 million
worth of Pin Pile foundations on over 170 projects nationwide.

Within the last couple of years, Nicholson has installed Pin Piles for multiple Selective Catalytic
Reduction (SCR) upgrade projects for coal-fired power plants. We have gained much insight through
our experience and interaction with consulting engineers, general contractors, specialty structural
erectors, and power plant personnel.

Pin Piles are the foundation system of choice for many SCR upgrades because of the following
characteristics:
1. Vibration and impact to adjacent structures are minimal
2. Pin Piles can be installed in limited-access areas such as building interiors, and below overhead
structures
3. Pin Piles can be installed adjacent to or through existing foundations to accommodate retrofitting
and use/upgrading of existing foundations
4. Installation costs are relatively low.

Pin Piles

Pin Piles are drilled-in elements typically ranging from 5 to 12 inches in diameter, which usually consist
of steel pipe (casing), steel reinforcement, and cement grout. They derive capacity in the ground from
side friction and perform very well in both compression and tension. Working load capacities typically
range from 50 to 200 tons. Pin Piles are installed using rotary drilling techniques similar to those used in
the oil and gas industry. Nicholson utilizes three drilling techniques:
1. Positive circulation or external flush drilling
2. Duplex drilling
3. Rotary eccentric percussive duplex drilling.

The appropriate drilling method is selected based on the subsurface conditions and site accessibility.
The piles derive their geotechnical capacity through grout to ground adhesion in the bond zone. In soils
this bond is typically developed using pressure grouting and in rock, tremie grouting. The piles
structural capacity is provided by grout (typically 4 ksi), steel casing (typically 80 ksi), and reinforcing
bar (typically 75 ksi).

Pin Piles are installed in a wide range of access and ground conditions, which makes them ideally suited to
working in and around existing power generation plant structures. The following case history demonstrates
a typical Pin Pile application for SCR upgrades.

Case history

The foundation construction for this coal-fired powerplant located in Kentucky along the Ohio River
involved the design and installation of Pin Piles in the Unit 2 boiler house, adjacent to the existing stack,
and in the area between the stack and the boiler house. The retrofit required construction of foundations
in and around existing and operating equipment without interruption to plant activities. Drilling for the
piles occurred in areas of tight access and limited headroom adjacent to blowers, fans, ductwork, and
cable trays. In many areas, the overhead clearance was as low as 12 feet.

Borings in the area indicated that the upper 15 to 25 feet of soil was comprised of silty sand and sandy
silt with clay. Underlying these strata was a layer of sand with some silt and gravel that became coarser
with depth. The sand below a depth of approximately 60 feet became very dense and contained cobbles
and boulders near the top of rock. The upper bedrock surface, which consisted of hard limestone,
occurred at a depth of approximately 130 feet.

The design loads were 200 tons in compression and 100 tons in tension. A total of 119 piles were
installed in 12 pile caps. The Pin Piles consisted of 9-5/8 in. outer-diameter steel casing with 0.45-inch
wall thickness. The piles were drilled to the top of competent rock, and one Grade 80, 95-feet-long all-
thread bar was installed, using couplers, in the upper section of the pile. The grout consisted of neat
Portland cement grout (water-cement ratio of 0.45), with a minimum 28-day compressive strength of
4000 psi.

Piles located in areas of unrestricted access were installed with a large, hydraulic track-mounted drill rig
and the limited access piles were installed using an electric-powered mini rig.

To verify the actual load carrying capacities of the piles, a non-production pile was installed and tested
in accordance with the Standard Test Method (Quick Load Option) for Piles Under Static Axial
Compressive Load (ASTM D1143-81). The maximum test loads applied were 400 tons in compression
and 200 tons in tension. The load testing was completed in December 2000, and the production piles
were installed between January and mid-February 2001.